The field of the invention is oil spill recovery, and the invention relates more particularly to the removal of large volume oil spills from the surface of the ocean or other large bodies of water.
The potential danger to the ecology of massive oil spills has become painfully evident in recent years. In spite of the recognized problem, no system has been devised which is capable of picking up large volumes of oil from the surface of the ocean, bay or the like. An absorption oil skimmer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,112 which utilizes a sponge which is rotated at the water surface. While such approach is undoubtedly practical for small spills, it is totally inadequate for the large type of spills which are of the most damaging concern to the ecology. A floating oil skimmer barge is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,070, and the device is again limited to small volume spills. It would also be inappropriate for use in the open ocean which is the most logical area for a large volume spill. Another spill oil retriever is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,876 and this, again, is limited to small volume spills. A similar low volume collector of surface oil is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,072. This device would not be useful for a large volume ocean oil spill. Perhaps the most ambitious approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,282 where an ocean-going vessel is disclosed which is hinged at the stern. In an open condition, it forms about a 90.degree. angle. However, in the open, moderately rough ocean, such a design would be likely to cause a great deal of turbulence as a result of wave action in this closed area not to mention strain on the vessel. Lastly, an oil skimming, floating hull is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,708. It utilizes a central hull part with a bulge and deflecting wings to create vortices.
To date, there has been no vessel which is capable of dealing with the potentially large volume oil spills caused by a leak in a super tanker or other large volume oil transportation vehicle.